FARM NEWS - AFRICA DAILY

Ancient African cattle first domesticated in Middle East

Mar 31, 2014 (SPX)

Geneticists and anthropologists previously suspected that ancient Africans domesticated cattle native to the African continent nearly 10,000 years ago. Now, a t...

Diversity in UK gardens aiding fight to save threatened bumblebees

Mar 28, 2014 (SPX)

Ecologists at Plymouth University, in a study published this week, have shown the most common species of bumblebee are not fussy about a plant's origin when sea...

Pesticides make the life of earthworms miserable

Mar 28, 2014 (SPX)

Pesticides are sprayed on crops to help them grow, but the effect on earthworms living in the soil under the plants is devastating, new research reveals: The wo...

Chinese farmers make 'Transformers' out of used cars

Mar 27, 2014 (AFP)

A group of farmers have brought to life the "Transformers" films, toys and TV series and built giant robots out of old car parts, in rural China. The original t...

Study finds forest corridors help isolated plants disperse their seeds

Mar 27, 2014 (SPX)

A forest in South Carolina, a supercomputer in Ohio and some glow-in-the-dark yarn have helped a team of field ecologists conclude that woodland corridors conne...

Flood of dead pigs in China reservoir: report

Mar 26, 2014 (AFP)

Hundreds of dead pigs are being recovered every month from a Chinese reservoir, partly due to government efforts to stop carcasses making their way onto the din...

Violence, rains stoke food supply fears in Nigeria

Mar 25, 2014 (AFP)

Nigeria is facing a possible food supply crisis this farming season, traders say, as the agricultural sector grapples with a predicted shorter rainy season, sec...

Small, compact hyperspectral sensor ideal for farm field

Mar 24, 2014 (SPX)

Headwall Photonics announced the introduction of the Hyperspec SNAPSHOT imaging sensor which has been designed for commercial use by environmental researchers, ...

Research reveals true value of cover crops to farmers, environment

Mar 24, 2014 (SPX)

Planting cover crops in rotation between cash crops -- widely agreed to be ecologically beneficial -- is even more valuable than previously thought, according t...

Ancient clam gardens nurture food security

Mar 24, 2014 (SPX)

A three-year study of ancient clam gardens in the Pacific Northwest has led researchers, including three from Simon Fraser University, to make a discovery that ...

EU slaps seafood trade ban on Belize, Cambodia, Guinea

Mar 24, 2014 (AFP)

In its toughest move yet to eradicate illegal fishing, the European Union on Monday blacklisted Belize, Cambodia and Guinea, effectively banning their products ...

Stanford professor maps by-catch as unintended consequence of global fisheries

Mar 24, 2014 (SPX)

Seabirds, sea turtles and marine mammals such as dolphins may not appear to have much in common, other than an affinity for open water. The sad truth is that th...

Study examines pesticide poisoning of Africa's wildlife

Mar 24, 2014 (SPX)

Poisons are silent, effective and cheap, making the especially dangerous in Africa where they are used for both pest control and illegal poaching. However, as a...

Beijing to end anti-dumping wine probe after European 'deal': ministry

Mar 21, 2014 (AFP)

Beijing will end an anti-dumping inquiry into wine imports from the European Union, China's commerce ministry said Friday, after what it said was a deal between...

Future heat waves pose threat to global food supply

Mar 21, 2014 (SPX)

Heat waves could significantly reduce crop yields and threaten global food supply if climate change is not tackled and reversed. This is according to a new stud...

Curbing pesticides will slash wheat yields: study

Mar 20, 2014 (AFP)

France's winter wheat harvest could shrink by over a tenth if farmers meet targets to halve pesticide use, said a study Thursday highlighting the challenge of f...

The basis of a new bioinsecticide is developed to control a pest that affects banana plantations

Mar 19, 2014 (SPX)

The Chrysodeixis chalcites moth is regarded as one of the most serious pests in horticultural, ornamental and fruit crops. Its caterpillars feed on many plant s...

Global problem of fisheries bycatch needs global solutions

Mar 19, 2014 (SPX)

Whenever fishing vessels harvest fish, other animals can be accidentally caught or entangled in fishing gear as bycatch. Numerous strategies exist to prevent by...

Crop intensification can be a long-term solution to perennial food shortages in Africa

Mar 19, 2014 (SPX)

Farmers in Africa can increase their food production if they avoid over dependence on chemical fertilizers, pesticides and practice agricultural intensification...

Incentives needed to improve grain markets in India

Mar 19, 2014 (SPX)

Even after the agricultural reforms of 2002-03, for wheat, rice, and pearl millet farmers in India, grain markets are still pretty sticky. Two University of Ill...